


Who

by lilywood16



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Adopted Children, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Gen, Other, Reunions, telepathic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-08-26
Updated: 2014-11-24
Packaged: 2018-02-14 16:54:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 11,176
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2199600
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lilywood16/pseuds/lilywood16
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Someone's changed Melody Pond's timeline. She's got parents and a sister named Rose now, but there's something both girls are hiding.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Rose and Melody Pond

Amy knew she had been harsh to the Doctor, unforgiving even. It was partially his fault that her baby, her daughter was gone, lost to time. She knew he would blame himself and she felt the tiniest bit satisfied that he was suffering because of it. River Song had come to explain, but at the very end, things changed. She got them home and then she froze suddenly as if seeing something else.  
"The timelines are changing, completely different. All changing…from here."  
"What?" Amy asked, startled. River didn't have a chance to explain, gold light escaped her mouth, she gasped and vanished as the gold seemed to take her away. The gold coalesced into a bright ball of light before exploding outward. A blonde teenager was laying on the floor, a child wrapped in her arms. Rory was the first there. He checked the girl and then the woman coughed violently. Golden light escaped her mouth and her eyes shot open.  
"I finally found the right point in her timeline, Melody Pond will not be lost to time. Not this time." Gold escaped the woman. She carefully pulled away from Melody. Amy and Rory were confused, but Amy was already reaching for her daughter  
"Too soon, too soon."  
"What's too soon?" Amy asked, pulling the sleeping Melody to her. The woman answered.  
"I absorbed the damage, prevented the aborted time lines from harming any events, changed history. I absorbed the energy, but I can't survive in this form, I'm going to change. I'm sorry." The little girl Amy held began to stir. Her eyes fixed on the woman.  
"Rose…"  
"It's alright Melody, just…" Rose bent over in pain. She gasped and then backed up quickly. The pain wracked her frame again and then golden light exploded. Rose cried out and when the light faded, she was gone. In her place was a ginger haired little girl. The girl sat up in confusion.  
"Where am I?" Melody scrambled away from her parents to Rose.  
"You're at my parent's house in Ledworth."  
"Meh…Melody?" The girl asked, hesitating. She spoke with a more scottish accent. Amy just watched wide-eyed as Melody hugged the girl tightly.  
"I don't know what to do. I don't know where to go. I'm six, again. I hated being six! I don't know anyone, I don't even know where to go and…" the little girl was sobbing and Melody didn't seem to know what to do. Amy took control and immediately stepped over to the two girls and brought them both into a tight hug.  
"Don't you worry Rose. You and Melody both are staying with us. No discussion allowed." Rory smiled as he watched Amy hug the little girls closer. When Rose was calm again, Amy took the hand of each and they walked into the house. She was glad she'd kept the clothes from when she was little. She'd need them now. The popular belief was that Amy and Rory had adopted the two girls, they didn't bother correcting anyone. Amy and Rory both grew to love the two little girls, their daughters, even if one wasn't their blood daughter. The girls lived uniterrupted with Amy and Rory who often had Rory's dad there visiting. Both girls loved their grandpa who doted on them both. There were both seven when the Doctor first came calling. Luckily Brian was there and the girls remained a secret from the Doctor, not by intention, it just happened that way. They were lucky enough to have Brian there to take care of the girls on the few adventures they went on. They were all in the living room, Melody and Rose were holding tools when the Tardis materialized around them. Amy was instantly furious when they'd finally taken off in the vortex. The Doctor had yet to notice that there were three other people he hadn't expected on his Tardis. He only knew Amy was mad at him. He turned to face her. She had her hands on her hips, glaring.  
"Next time Doctor, check who you're picking up!" She pointed to where Brian was still standing on his ladder in confusion. Rory trying to keep calm and not join in Amy's berating of the Doctor. The Tardis prodded his mind urgently, alerting him that there were two more unintended passengers. These passengers the Tardis seemed to like quite a bit, he could feel her affection and slight mothering instinct kicking in. The Tardis gave the mental equivalent of a happy sigh and the Doctor shook his head. Amy was looking at him with concern.  
"Doctor?"  
"Amelia Pond, my magnificent time ship is practically cooing, who else did I pick up?" He asked in slight apprehension.  
"Our family." Rory said flatly. "Me and Amy and Dad and the girls."  
"Girls?" The Doctor echoed, dread settling in. Then he saw the ginger and blonde hair peeking out from behind Amelia.  
"You have children, two children?" He asked hoarsely. Amy was glaring again.  
"Yes, they're both seven. This is Melody," she said, pushing the blonde forward, "and this is Rose." Rose was the ginger. The Doctor looked confused.  
"Melody?"  
"Someone brought her back and told us the timeline damage was fixed, Rose was just an extra blessing, but I couldn't love her more." Rory was smiling wistfully. The Doctor was staring down at the children. A grin spread over his face.  
"Amelia Pond, why didn't you say anything! No wonder the Tardis is so happy, there are children onboard! It's been centuries since that happened."  
"The Tardis being happy or the children?" Rory asked.  
"The children." The Doctor answered absently, turning to land them. When they touched down again, the Doctor turned back to Amy and Rory. The two little girls stood between them, looking at him with undisguised curiousity. They held hands, and blushed when they realized he'd caught them staring. He chuckled and introduced himself.  
"Hello, I'm the Doctor. This is the Tardis." Rose's eyes lit up.  
"She's nice." Rose commented and Melody agreed.  
"Nice?" Rory asked with a small frown.  
"She' very nice, I can hear her, she's happy, very happy. She likes having us here." Melody said simply. The Doctor squatted so he was at her level.  
"You're both telepathic?" They nodded.  
"And you didn't tell Amy and Rory?" The blushed and looked apologetic.  
"It's alright. Just make sure you keep everyone else out of your head. And Amy, I'd recommend staying away from Torchwood, Canary Wharf especially and Chiswick."  
"Chiswick?" Rory and Amy asked.  
"There's a woman there, she used to be my companion. She's half timelord, but she doesn't know because if she remembers a second, anything about me or aliens her mind will burn."  
"Canary Wharf?" Rose asked. He looked down at her.  
"I was there, with my companion, Canary Wharf is a cover for a group called Torchwood. I don't know if anyone of the original Torchwood is still alive, but they are not people you want to be involved with. They lock up anything alien, anything not normal. Er, Cardiff should be alright. There will probably be some people who come looking for you if show up. Ask for Jack, he'll get you sorted. If you have issues with UNIT, uh, tell them you're friends of mine." Amy was blinking in surprise.  
"Why, is something going to happen?" Amy asked, worried now.  
"Neither of them are entirely human, you're bound to run into trouble, I just thought I'd make getting out of it a little easier."  
"Thank you Doctor." Amy said. She sighed and looked down at the girls.  
"Alright you two, you can come with us, but please, please, please, stay with an adult!" Both cheered and the Doctor grinned.  
"Come along Ponds!" Brian was complaining that he wasn't a Pond. Both Rose and Melody were looking around with curiousity. They always stayed close together, the Doctor noticed. It wasn't long before they were running and then the Doctor found himself alone with both girls. They were giggling, amused that they were being chased by dinosaurs. The Doctor found them entirely perplexing. He talked with them while they wandered.  
"Are you adopted Rose?" She was quiet for a moment.  
"Yes, mum and dad said that we were best friends, couldn't have one without the other."  
"Probably the telepathic circuit. It wants to be close to another of the same frequency."  
"Like butterflies?" Melody asked. The Doctor nodded and then they were running again. Amy was panicking, worried where Rose and Melody were, if they were alright. Finally she was able to use the ship's computer to get in contact with the Doctor.  
"Hello Amy!" He said cheerfully. Amy had no time for pleasantries.  
"Doctor! Have you seen the girls, I already checked with Rory and Brian and I know that they aren't with us." She was clearly panicked. The Doctor looked slightly concerned.  
"They're fine Amelia, they're with me." He bent and scooped up both girls. They waved at their mother and Amelia nearly cried in relief.  
"Thank god!" The Doctor set them down again. The next several minutes were a whirlwind of activity. They were about to be blown up.  
"You can't!" Amelia cried at the woman. "There are children onboard." The woman cursed, but could do nothing.Luckily they didn't need to, Rory and Brian safely steered the ship away. When they were all onboard the Tardis again, the Doctor took off. Both Rose and Melody were exhausted and had fallen asleep on the jump seat. Amy looked like it must have been some kind of minor miracle. Amy saw his curious look, but Rose had a note in her pocket. It had a list of things they couldn't tell the Doctor and a list of things they couldn't tell her. Many of the memories of her life before Amy and Rory were hidden, locked away until she was old enough to remember. Sometimes she'd say things without thinking and they would know it was things from her past life. Melody was the same, her memories were hidden away too, to protect the new timelines and the universe itself from collapsing.


	2. Skip

Rose and Melody were always very clever when they were young. Amy had sent them to school only to have learned that they had skipped five grades by the end of the school day. She had almost had a heart attack when she got a call from the school, convinced that they were either in trouble, someone had figured out they were different or they were in danger. She was so relieved, she didn't stop to consider what being geniuses could mean, that it could draw the very kind of attention she had been worried about.

The Doctor stopped by every now and then and they all went on adventures. Amy grew to worry over them less as they got older. The Doctor took them on their first trip when they were both ten. He banned Amy and Rory from coming with. They had all gone to visit Woman Wept. The Doctor bundled the both of them into winter coats. When they arrived, he led them outside to look and play in the ice and snow. They had hot chocolate and came back before dinner. Amy was just relieved they'd stayed out of trouble and all three were unharmed. 

Both girls loved spending time with the Doctor. He came often enough to help them with their ever increasing telepathy and to teach them Gallifreyan. He hadn't meant to do it at first, but both caught on so quickly, he just went with it. The Doctor took them on adventures with their parents and sometimes just with him. He had recommended early on that they shouldn't ever take either girl to a hospital. He gave them emergency contacts if the need arose, but maintained it would be far worse if they went to a hospital than if they bled to death or were really sick. Rory checked up on them every so often, they never really got sick and they healed quickly, so they never had the need to go to a hospital. On their twelfth birthday the Doctor came to visit and the black boxes fell from the sky. The Doctor was convinced they were bad news. He of course began running tests. The girls were out of school for summer holiday, so they were both helping him while Amelia rolled her eyes at the way they got along so well. Rory went to find his scrubs and then they all jumped when the front door was smashed in. Men in black with guns streamed into the house.

"Clear! Trap one, kitchen secured."

"Trap three, back garden secured." The Doctor, Rose and Melody were all sitting on stools, hands up. Amy was staring in irritation and anger, but her hands were up. Rory was shoved into the kitchen at gunpoint.

"There are soldiers all over my house, and I'm in my pants." Rory said in slight disbelief. Amy responded with a rather sarcastic comment before a woman entered.

"All these muscles, and they still don't know how to knock. Sorry about the raucous entrance. Spike in Artron energy reading at this address. In the light of the last twenty four hours, we had to check it out, and the dogs do love a run out. Hello. Kate Stewart, head of scientific research at UNIT. And with dress sense like that..." she said holding out a scanner, showing the Doctor's two hearts, "You must be the Doctor. I hoped it would be you." He smiled and Kate waved the scanner around noticing that everyone had artron radiation on them. One of them, the ginger haired girl had more radiation than even the Doctor. The Doctor stepped forward to begin discussing the cubes with Kate. Kate was rather startled by the fact that there were three people in the kitchen who had two hearts. She assumed the Doctor knew so she let it go, but at one point she was quite sure he was the last of his kind. She focused on the task at hand. When nothing happened, she just let it go as just a rather weird event. The Doctor was gone before she knew it, but she had watched them. He was far too unconcerned for him to know she realized. She went back alone to visit the Ponds. It was rather odd considering that Pond was Amelia's last name, but Rory had just shrugged and mentioned something about the Doctor. 

When Kate showed up on her doorstep for the second time, Amelia was instantly suspicious. She let Kate in and they sat down in the kitchen. Rose and Melody were both talking quietly in the corner and it was a language unlike any she'd ever heard, except...the Doctor. She turned back to Amy to see the woman staring at her, it was actually quite intimidating to be subject to Amelia Pond's glare.

"What do you want?" Amy asked, tense. Kate phrased her words carefully.

"You are close friends with the Doctor still, and he seems to know your family quite well, but something kept nagging at me. When I scanned them both, they're covered in Artron radiation, that could be explained easy enough, they could have traveled with the Doctor in the Tardis, but two hearts... I was told the Doctor is the last of his kind, he is already overprotective of his friends, I don't believe he would let two Time Ladies, extremely young Time Ladies just sit on earth with no protection or defense. The only logical conclusion is that he doesn't know." Amelia had gotten steadily paler and then Kate spoke again.

"My father was good friends with the Doctor, they worked together when he was much younger, not quite as sad as he is now. I noticed he was sad and you're his best friend, you would have known immediately, so why don't you tell him?" Amy glanced around and Kate noticed the girls were in the backyard. Amy sighed and sat across from Kate.

"Melody is biologically mine and Rory's daughter, she was conceived aboard the Tardis, in the Time Vortex. It made her more like the Doctor, she is essentially a Time Lady and because of that, she could be used as a weapon against the Doctor. I was kidnapped in order to get Melody, the people who wanted her were successful. A future version of her, a woman called River Song brought us back here and then the Timelines changed." Amy stood and motioned for Kate to follow. She went upstairs to the master bedroom and opened a chest. Inside were several odd things, one of them was an album. Amy opened to the first picture of a young blonde teenager between a man in leather and a man in a WWII coat. She looked blissfully happy, Amy sighed and flipped to the end. A blonde woman in military style gear was pictured, her eyes betrayed she was much older than she looked and that she had suffered much.

"This is Rose, this is what she looked like when she brought Melody to us. And then she changed, she became a ginger haired little girl with no memories of her past. She became a Time Lady." Kate saw the clothes and some alien weapons, a few journals and random bits. In the bottom in a box that looked an awful lot like the Tardis were three things; a vortex manipulator a wedding band and a Tardis key. Kate gaped and reached out, but Amy took the box.

"I'm sorry, you can't. They're hers, not mine, not yours. I'm only holding onto this stuff until she can remember again." Kate nodded to her and listened while Amy explained finding out both had two hearts and then she went on to describe the first adventure they had with the Doctor.

"Just materialized int the lounge. Rory's dad was changing the lightbulb and Rose and Melody just standing there next to me. Didn't even check to see who he'd picked up, just left. And of course he gets them to admit they're telepathic. They had a grand time running from dinosaurs with him. God, I nearly hyperventilated when I couldn't find them and of course he picks them both up. They're waving at me, giggling away, happy as clams and all I can think was I just entrusted my children to another child." Kate laughed when Amy talked. She knew why Amy was doing it and couldn't fault her for it. Kate had no desire or reason to report it. She would enter a warning that applied to all companions for the girls' files and call it done. Kate was laughing as Amy recounted the time the Doctor had taken them for their first solo trip. Amy had spent the entire day pulling out her hair in worry only to have them all back safe and sound and unharmed in time for dinner. The chest had been stored away again, but both jumped when Melody knocked on the door, face worried.

"Mum, the boxes, they changed." Both jumped up. Rose was holding a pot, three cubes inside. One was flashing, the other shooting flaming balls and the other beeping like a clown's car horn. Kate's eyebrows shot to her hairline, and then the front door slammed open and the Doctor appeared.

"Ah hello Kate. Um don't know if you noticed, but the cubes are doing something." He caught sight of the pan Rose had and the way she held the lid down. Kate had already called a car to come get them. It was there within moments.

"Doctor, Amy, if you wouldn't mind?" Rory and his dad weren't there currently so the girls came with. In the end, It was Rose who noticed something before they did. Melody agreed and then the Doctor was running off, Amy following with a stern warning to stay with Kate and not touch anything.


	3. Torchwood

Surprisingly, the girls listened. They stayed put with Kate and messed with the odd looking device Rose had in her bag. Kate just eyed them warily and assigned a soldier to keep a watch on them at all times. Rose was the first one to shout. The cube had electrocuted her, everywhere the cubes were stopping people's hearts. Kate was close enough to shove them both into a closet. Melody already had a hand raised. She hit Rose hard, but the girl smiled.

"Oh thank god, how do you survive with one heart, it's bloody awful." Kate just shook her head in confused amusement. It wasn't too long before the Doctor saved the day and then he returned. Amy, Rory and Brian in tow. Kate assured Amy that they both had been excellently behaved. She sighed in relief and hugged both girls tightly. Rose winced, Amy gave her a suspicious look. Rose just gave her a look that told her she'd explain later, when the Doctor wasn't around. Kate stood with the rest of them and watched as the Tardis disappeared. She turned to look at the girls.

"I still think you should go get checked out."

"I'm fine." Rose insisted, Melody nodding with her. Amy had her hands on her hips, giving them both a look.

"What happened?" She asked shortly. Rose sighed.

"I got electrocuted by the black box. Stopped one of my hearts, Melody had to hit me to get it restarted." Amy gaped at her for a moment and Rose sighed in resignation at the upcoming rant. She wasn't disappointed. Amy ranted and yelled and generally chastised both girls into agreeing to anything to appease her. It lasted a total of 34.53 minutes before she calmed down and pulled both into a hug. Rory and Brian were both trying not to laugh. The girls went off together into the house. Kate handed Amy and Rory each a business card.

"If you ever run into any trouble, or they get hurt, call me. Generally I can pull enough rank to weasel you out, and our doctors are used to treating patients whose medical needs are...unorthodox." Amy nodded and hugged the woman, surprising her. Kate waved as she left, she was going to have to do some kind of report on the girls, just so UNIT would leave them be.

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_* (3 years later) *_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*

Jack was in his office, studying a piece of paper intently. It had come in the mail, startling Jack so badly, he'd nearly died right there. His name was written on the Tardis blue envelope in fancy script, but on the back were two words. He knew his team was worried, concerned, but Jack needed time to deal right now. Gwen stuck her head in his office.

"Jack, slight problem." He looked up, forgetting the letter for a moment.

"What's wrong Gwen?"

"The scanner, it keeps picking up artron radiation. I mean you've got a ton of it, so does the Doctor, but these two. One rivals you Jack, the other, surpasses the Tardis." Jack shot up in shock. "We scanned for huon particles too, there are some of those as well. Two smaller artron traces, more like Martha and Mickey's, are always close to them."

"Any video feed?" He asked Tosh. She pulled up the cameras of the city and zeroed in. The couldn't get a clear picture of the higher artron traces. Jack sighed. "Alright, ignore the weaker artron signals, bring the other two in, I'll go with you." 

They took two SUVs, tracking the signal into the shopping district of Cardiff. The signal led into an alley, the other, weaker signals stayed on the main road. Jack nodded and they swung their vehicles to block the exits. A couple, a scottish redhead and a dirty blonde english man, shouted in alarm and moved toward the alley. Ianto moved to intercept them. They fought and he was forced to knock them both out. Jack exited directly into the alley. Two teenage girls stood there, frozen with shock and slight worry. There was a blonde and a redhead. Both shifted closer together and Jack realized they were clasping hands. Both cringed away from him when he approached and turned, they both were running, faster than a human. Jack wasn't entirely human though. He raised his gun and shot the tranquilizers toward them. The redhead shoved the other girl toward the wall, taking one dart in the shoulder and the other in her arm. The blonde was instantly catching her companion. Jack was intrigued, he walked forward distracting them and Owen got the blonde in her neck. Both tumbled to the stones. Jack was able to grab them before their heads slammed into the ground. He, Ianto and Owen got them in the back and drove off to head back to Torchwood. The redhead burned through both doses of tranquilizer, the blonde not far behind. Both had to be redosed to keep them asleep until they got them to a holding cell. Jack left Gwen in charge of watching them. They had yet to scan them or anything of the like, but they already made him nervous. His head hurt, like a telepathic presence was pressing in on his thoughts, not intentionally, but he wasn't exactly human, and it hurt. His thoughts drifted back to the letter on his desk. it contained only a few short words, but was giving Jack a really bad case of paranoia and nervous excitement mixed with dread. Half of him wanted to keep a lookout, just in case... but the other half of him wanted to interrogate the suspiciously irradiated teenagers in his holding cells. With neither option available, he paced, and paced some more. He was growing concerned when suddenly Gwen was shouting into her earpiece.

"Owen, get down here now! Something is wrong!" Jack got there just before Owen. The blonde was terrified, trying to keep her companion still. The redhead was spitting up blood. Jack slammed his hand down on the door lock and burst in. The blonde was in a panic.

"What happened, what's wrong?"

"Morphine, there was Morphine in it. We're allergic and you gave her too much for her body to metabolize!" Jack took the epipen from Owen and made to inject the redhead. The blonde stopped it.

"No, you can't! Epipens have trace amounts, anymore and you'll kill her!" Jack calmly sank down to her height.

"What do you suggest?" The girl bit her lip.

"Do you have medical equipment?"

"Yeah, upstairs..."

"How about a molecular rendering device?" Jack gaped at her, molecular rendering wouldn't be invented for another 1500 years. He shook his head.

"Nothing that advanced, I got a burnt out manipulator, that's about it."

"A vortex..." She trailed off and then groaned. "I need my phone."

"Why?"

"Mum has neutralizing pills, they can counteract the Morphine, so unless you want to call her and get her over here, I need my phone." Jack handed it over and the girl dialed.

"Yes Mum, I'm fine, but she has too much Morphine in her system, I don't have what I need here to help her. If I give you a place, can you leave the neutralizer with someone?" The girl nodded. She handed the phone to Jack. 

"Hello?" He answered warily. The voice that answered was flinty and cold with rage.

"If it wasn't for the fact that one of my daughters is dying, and I don't know who or where you are, I would kill you for this." Jack flinched.

"I will meet you in Roald Dahl Plass by the marina in ten minutes. After that, I will leave, but..." The woman's voice cracked slightly. "Just let me know they're okay, please." Ianto went to meet the woman. She left a blue envelope by the wharf and he brought it back. There were two blue pills inside. The blonde took both and made the red head swallow. She was still coughing up blood for the next few minutes. Jack sat in the cell with them, making sure they were okay.

"Are you going to be alright?" Jack asked the girl. She nodded stiffly. "I'm sorry, I didn't know about the Morphine, funny though, I have a friend, he's allergic too." The blonde leaned down to press her ear to the red head's chest. She sighed in relief, but something was bothering Jack. "Who are you, how do you know what a Molecular Renderer is? Why are the both of you soaked in vortex energy?" The girl blinked at him in surprise and then went quiet, not answering. Jack left after awhile.

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_

Amy was panicking, beyond panic actually. Kate was trying to help, but even she could' help them. She took a train into Cardiff to meet them, but it yielded no results. They all returned to London to UNIT HQ. Kate was close to calling in some freelancers, finally Amy's hysteria hit a high point. Kate dialed the number, praying it still worked. It rang several times, before a woman answered.

"Hello, Martha Smith, how can I help you?" Kate sighed in relief.

"My name is Kate Lethbridge-Stewart, I need your help." It was silent for a moment.

"Why does UNIT need our help?" Her voice was cautious, but not yet a refusal. Kate sighed in relief.

"The Doctor's current companions, they have two daughters, they've been taken." Martha's response was immediate.

"We'll be on the first flight to London." Kate hung up and Amy eyed her curiously and cautiously.

"They were previous companions of the Doctor, Martha and Mickey Smith. Got married to each other and Martha quit UNIT so they could freelance." Amy nodded and looked to Rory who seemed more stressed than ever.

"I can't do this again. It was bad enough with you, I knew you'd be alright, knew who had you, but this... I don't know anything and we don't have the Doctor to help." Amy hugged him and he hugged her even more tightly. Kate was quiet. It was another day before Mickey and Martha got there. Both were in their thirties, and looked serious and friendly despite the situation.

"I don't understand, why haven't you called the Doctor?" Was her first question. Amy sighed and went right for the truth.

"We can't, timelines. There are things he can't know about them yet, otherwise I would have. Neither are exactly human."

"Alright...explain everything." They did, starting with UNIT's ignorance of exactly what they are. Martha pressed her for an answer.

"There was an event...one of the Doctor's enemies wanted to use a child of the vortex, my child to kill the Doctor. At the end of the day, one of his allies brought us back, she was an older version of our daughter, Melody Pond, or as she named herself, River Song. She felt the timelines changing and a woman appeared with a younger Melody. By the end, the woman explained she'd absorbed the damaged timelines, she told us she would have no memory of her life before us. She was 187 when she came to us. There was a flash of light and she was the same age as Melody, six. They're both our daughters, but they also have binary vascular systems, more complex brains and respiratory bypass, but they're also only fifteen." Martha gasped, eyes wide.

"They're Time Lords. Female Time Lords." Mickey's jaw dropped, but dread was settling in his stomach. 

"And someone we don't know has them." Mickey said darkly. He looked just as angry as Rory did.

"Where were you, anything strange, odd, people doing weird things, odd habits?" Amy shook her head and Rory had his brow furrowed, thinking hard. There was something, but it just kept slipping.

 

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*

Jack was staring at Melody Pond in shock. She'd let Owen check her over, but refused to let them touch her sister. He still didn't know Melody's last name or her sister's first name. What he was staring at was the heart monitor screen. It had matched up Melody's species, the heartbeat and DNA. All of it left him reeling in shock.

"Two hearts, respiratory bypass, complex brain, unknown blood type, DNA of two human parents, but not human." Owen said in frustration. Melody was failing to hide her smile. Jack was staring. Carefully, he reached out with his mind. He brushed against Melody's consciousness and recognized the feel instantly as familiar. Time sense and telepathy. She wasn't any ordinary alien, no she was a very specific, very impossible alien. Melody was a Time Lady and Jack would bet anything that her sister was too. Jack staggered back in shock. The Doctor wasn't alone. He didn't realize he'd projected the thoughts until Melody's head snapped around to land on him.

"The Doctor, you know the Doctor?" She asked in a rush and then her eyes widened as she gazed at him. "You're the Captain. The man who can't die." Jack nodded warily.

"I could see it, but I can't always tell what it means, Rose is generally better at that than me. And the Doctor told us to stay away from you, said you flirt with anything and you kinda grate on the senses. Although, I don't exactly mind..." Jack's attention caught on one word.

"Did you just say..."

"He gave of list of things to avoid. A woman in Chiswick, Donna Noble, Canary Wharf and Torchwood one, oh! He said to talk to you if we ended up in trouble with Torchwood." Jack blinked for a minute.

"You've met the Doctor?"

"Nah," A new voice answered, "We've traveled with him too." The red head was grinning at them. Melody scooped her into a giant hug.

"Rose! You're alright!" And Jack remembered now.

"Rose?" The red head blinked for a moment and then her eyes went wide.

"I know who you are, he told me, but you look familiar." She said, studying him. Jack's throat was tight as he whispered the words in the letter.

"All my love to Bad Wolf Bay." He said. The reaction was instantaneous. Rose crashed back into the chair, Melody crying out in surprise. Rose's nails dug into the leather, puncturing it easily with the amount of pressure. Jack stood still, waiting. Gold light fell over her eyes and he knew his hunch was right.

"I am the Bad Wolf." She whispered, the gold faded and Rose met his eyes.

"Jack?"


	4. the Past

Rory felt like there was something he was missing, something really important. He couldn't put his finger on it couldn't figure out what it was he was missing. He was pacing agitatedly, while Martha, Amy and Kate tried to find anything. Martha and Mickey said they'd traveled with the Doctor, separately. Mickey'd traveled with a girl named Rose, Martha had traveled on her own with the Doctor. Both seemed happy with what they did. Martha had worked for UNIT at one point, Mickey had worked for a different agency in a parallel universe. It was all rather fascinating to Rory. He couldn't sit still, just paced back in forth in frustration. Mickey put a hand on his arm to stop him. Rory took a deep breath and met Mickey's rather curious gaze.

"You remind me of him."

"The Doctor?" Rory asked in surprise. Mickey nodded sadly.

"Your eyes, they're a lot like his. You're a lot older than you look." Rory sighed.

"Do you know what an auton is?" Mickey's eyes widened and he barked out a harsh laugh.

"It's how I met the Doctor. Got kidnapped and duplicated."

"I was an auton, something happened, I got erased from history, but there were these cracks... I came back as auton...had all my memories, but I couldn't stop it, tried as hard as I could, but she wouldn't listen. I killed her." Mickey was silent while Rory explained. "Things happened, the Doctor's enemies locked him in a prison, the pandorica. Nothing can die in the Pandorica, so the Doctor and Amy switched places. I made sure she was safe for 2000 years. The Tardis was exploding, history was falling apart. The Doctor got it all sorted in the end though. I'm human again, but I still have the memories." Mickey nodded at that.

"You guys have had a rough time haven't you?" Rory sighed heavily.

"There are people who want to hurt the Doctor, they tried to use Melody. They took Melody away. If she hadn't found Melody...I don't imagine things would be the way they are. I always worry they'll try an come back, that they'll take both my girls, that they'll hurt Amy. Being friends with the Doctor was never easy, but keeping children who are the same species as him a secret and keeping them safe is hard." Mickey nodded.

"You start to understand they reasons the Doctor does the things he does as you get older. He loses a lot every time he lets a companion go, willingly or not. He does everything to protect the people he travels with because they're all he has for family." Mickey abruptly changed subjects.

"Have you ever seen him smile, really smile, you can see it in his eyes and everything?" Amy was listening now and Rory shook his head.

"Once." Amy said softly. Rory's head snapped around to look at her.

"What?"

"When he met the girls, when they were so little. He seemed so happy to have them around, especially...Rose." Mickey sucked in a pained breath and Martha visibly winced.  
"What?" Rory asked, confused by their expressions.

"Rose, he traveled with a girl called Rose. Two years with her, two different bodies. He met her right after the war. He said she always made him better. He loved her and then he lost her and when he had the chance to get her back, he gave her up to a half-human version of himself, to protect the universe. His companion at the time can't remember a thing, if she does, her mind will burn."

"Donna Noble?" Amy asked and Mickey nodded. "He told us to steer clear of her." Mickey nodded.

"There was another guy they traveled with, Captain Jack Harkness. He flirts with anything, he can't die either, he's the only companion the Doctor's ever met over and over again. Well I suppose we've met Sarah Jane Smith a few times as well. Lovely woman, traveled with the Doctor in his fourth body." Amy was frowning, Rory noticed her expression.

"What?"

"There's something I can't remember, it's fuzzy...so Jack, where's he from?"

"Boeshane Penninsula, 51st century, although Rose and the Doctor met him in the middle of an air raid during WWII." Amy frowned unhappily.

"He took the girls and they crashed in Hitler's office, I don't believe I let him go on a solo trip for months after that." Mickey smiled and it hit Rory.

"WWII? Jack came from WWII? Did he wear a coat, long, blue?" Mickey nodded. "He was there, I saw him when the SUVs came." Martha sighed.

"Let me call him, my guess, he probably traced the radiation, thought they were dangerous, so he picked them up."

"He'll let them go right?" Martha nodded. "Yeah, especially Rose. He always loved that girl, can't blame him. It's impossible to hate Rose. She's just too sweet." Amy smiled at Mickey's expression.

"She and her mum, sweet alright. I can till remember the accusations and the slaps." Martha frowned at him and Amy hid a smile. Martha pulled out her phone and dialed a number. A young man whose voice Amy recognized answered.

"Cardiff tourist information, how can I help you?"

"Hey Ianto, it's Martha, you mind if Mickey and I stop by. We're bringing the Doctor's current companions with us."

"Sure Martha, you want me to tell Jack?"

"Nah, we'll surprise him." The man chuckled and hung up. They were in Cardiff within the hour and striding across Roald Dahl Plass to an information office. Ianto looked up and his face drained of color when he saw Amy and Rory.

"Ah Martha, you didn't tell me they were the Doctor's companions." Martha smirked.

"Where's Jack?"

"Down, with the girls. Can't let go of the redhead, don't know why. They keep talking about his past, he's...happy, happier than I've ever seen him." Martha nodded. She led them downstairs to an odd looking door. It opened after a moment. A woman waved at Martha and she smiled. She went straight into the middle and took a deep breath. Mickey beat her to the punch, spotting Jack and two teenage girls. Jack held onto the redhead's hand tightly.

"OI! Captain Cheesecake, you got company!" The man looked up and grinned.

"It's Mickey Mouse!" The men grinned at each other and then Jack saw Amy.

"Who're you?"

"Amelia Pond." She said, irritated.

"Williams." Rory corrected quickly.

"And those would be my daughters, if you could kindly let go of Rose." Jack smiled softly at her.

"She remembers." He said softly. His sentence was interrupted as the redhead tugged away to go to Mickey and Martha.

"Martha." She said hugging the woman and then she turned to Mickey and grinned that grin he would never forget. "Hello Mickey." He spluttered.

"Rose? Rose Tyler?" He grin widened.

"Yep." She said, popping the p. Both Mickey and Martha were staring and Amy and Rory looked surprised.

"You're Rose Tyler?"

"Yeah, I sent Jack a letter, he helped me remember, I kept the memories hidden till I needed them, until it was safe for the Doctor to know."

"Still not quite safe." A woman said. She wore an eyepatch and smiled menacingly at them. Amy gasped and Rory whirled, face hard.

"You know, I was just going to take Melody again, but then there are two of them now. Twice the possibility of success. Take them both." Jack was close enough to Melody, in an instant, he'd vanished with her, but Rose was still there and none of Torchwood and not a single companion could keep her safe.

"We'll just have to do with one, oh but this is so much better. He'll come for you Rose Tyler, after all, you are the woman he loves." Rose smiled sweetly and attacked. Kovarian raised her gun and shot Rose in the heart. She staggered back. Martha watched in horror as Rose was taken.


	5. Truth

He hadn't seen Amy, Rory and the girls for several months so he decided it was time to stop by. He tracked Melody telepathically, setting the Tardis to follow her mind's signal. The Tardis groaned in pain, refusing to move. He looked up at the rotor curiously. He sent a question and thought in her direction, she tried to explain something. He furrowed his brow in confusion. He gave up and headed to the kitchen for a banana. 

There was an odd sound and then the Tardis jerked sideways. Something tore through the wall as if it was paper, but there was no damage. The Tardis herself had allowed the intrusion. Jack tumbled to he floor, Melody was wrapped in his arms. She pushed away, furious that he'd left Rose there, that he'd even taken her to begin with.

"I hate you!" She screamed swinging and yelling. Tears streamed down her face as she uselessly beat against Jack's chest.

"Melody, there's nothing we could have done, I'm sorry. I know we left Rose, but we couldn't let both of you be taken. You were closer at the time."

"They took her, didn't they." Jack nodded solemnly. "Did you know she saved my life? She took me away from that woman and there's nothing I can do to help her. Please, Rose is my sister, we have to help." Jack's phone rang and he answered.

"Yeah, I've got Melody. We're on the Tardis, old control room. I got it, my manipulator shorted, hang on a moment... There, alright, we'll be there soon." Melody went to him and they changed position landing in Torchwood. Melody gasped, grabbing her head. Jack's mind was easily more telepathic than the others, her mind automatically sought a connection. He stared, but let her connect. She searched her mind for Rose and panicked, she was terrified. Jack's mind soothed her. Finally she turned to everyone.

"She's gone." Melody said. In the safety of her own mind, no longer in Jack's, she cried out in anguish.

The Doctor jerked, slamming his back into the console. He could literally feel Melody's grief. Something was wrong, terribly horribly wrong. The Tardis let him land where Melody was. He peeked out, only to see Torchwood 3. He winced as he took in the recent damage. He was surprised to see Mickey and Martha as well as the Ponds. He nearly asked, but his eyes narrowed to see Jack holding Melody. She was quiet, face pale and her eyes red from crying. He could feel Melody's desperate connection with Jack. An unfamiliar trunk sat in the middle of the floor. He looked at it curiously for a moment, before making his presence known.

"Melody?" She looked about ready to cry. 

"Doctor, please, you have to..." Amy interrupted her daughter.

"Kovarian took Rose. Yes there is a reason she just took Rose instead of taking Melody or both girls. You're going to want to sit." He did sit and waited patiently.

Melody took step forward and took his hand, placing it on her chest. After a moment she moved to the other side, his eyes widened and he stared at her in shock.

"You're a Time Lady." She smiled bitterly at him.  
"Not just me Doctor." He was paling quickly, starting to understand.

"Kovarian showed up not long after Mickey Mouse and Company. I got Melody and we hit on the Tardis until Kovarian was gone." Jack said softly. Martha hesitated, but spoke next.

"Her lackeys took us all out, none of us could help her, Rose I mean. Just before I passed out, I saw what happened Rose. Kovarian shot her in the chest, she went down and she didn't get back up. The dragged her away, and I couldn't stop them."Martha was crying now unable to hold back the tears. The Doctor seemed frozen as he tried to process this information. His face hardened in anger and he stood up.

"Can I count on your help, all of you?" They all nodded in agreement. He reached out with his mind to Rose.

'Rose?'

'Yes Doctor?'

'I'm coming to get you.' And then she screamed and the connection went dead in a flash of gold and the oh so familiar feel regeneration.

Rose felt pain in her chest. It hurt like hell to get shot, she could already feel the burn of regeneration coming. She was laying on the floor in a white room. She sat up and noticed the gold light tracing beneath her skin already. Kovarian promptly shot her again. Rose screamed and then the Doctor was there in her head, telling her, no asking her. She didn't even think he realized it was exactly what'd he'd said when coming to rescue her from the Daleks. The gold light was spreading faster, and then exploding outward. Kovarian screamed as the light touched her. Rose quickly tried to get her out of the way. She froze time and moved the woman. When time resumed, Kovarian was in no danger. Rose fell back with a scream as her body changed, oddly resembling her human self's body. Kovarian stared down at her face and smiled wickedly.

"Rose Tyler, we meet at last."


	6. Demon's Run

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, this weekend I've been on a roll. This is the third chapter in as many days. Be warned, this chapter is really long.

It seems like déjà vu to him, he'd done this before. The gathering of allies, people who owed him, anyone who would help. Everyone there was a friend, all his former companions, even Sarah Jane, Ace, Teagan and a few others. Alistair and Kate and Benton were there with Vastra, Jenny and Strax. The Tardis was more crowded than ever, and instead of finding it suffocating, it was comforting to the Doctor. He remembered what Sarah Jane had said about him having the biggest family on earth, it seemed that way right now. They had all split up, to search out clues, to find where Kovarian had taken Rose. They'd checked anywhere they'd met her in the past, no luck on finding Rose or any hint of where she might be. He kept Melody close, she couldn't stand the lack of contact, telepathically, it helped him to focus actually. Melody was brilliant, and it reminded him bitterly of Donna. Melody had gasped and then slapped him, startling everybody.

"You idiot! Didn't you think?! You could have used the bloody chameleon arc on her and she would be fine!" Needless to say, they went to pick up one more companion. Melody and the Doctor had banished everyone outside. A good half hour later, Melody let them in. The ginger woman was just starting to wake up. She turned on the Doctor immediately and slapped the side Melody hadn't and then hugged him tightly.

"Thanks." She told him, and then she asked why he'd waited.

"That's Melody Pond, she's technically a regular companion, well her and her sister and her parents. Problem is, both girls are Time Ladies and a woman, Madame Kovarian is trying to use either or both of them to kill me. I got too big, too dangerous, I scare them. Kovarian took Melody's sister, Rose. We're going to get her back, want to come?" He asked eyes wide and hopeful. Donna grinned at him.

"Bloody hell yes!" Between the three of them they could communicate between three search/threaten parties. It was Donna who finally got the answer. She told him he wasn't going to like the answer she had. She wasn't wrong either.

His fury was like no other, there was a reason he was called the Oncoming Storm. He was furious Kovarian had taken her there, but the time frame, they'd played him twice now and this time, mercy wasn't an option.

Rose shivered, the dress wasn't meant to keep her warm. If anything the dress barely did anything for her. Kovarian wasn't stupid, she'd known that keeping Rose cold, taking her things and replacing them... It was all going to throw Rose off balance, unsettle her and keep her relatively tame.  
Rose could feel the ice crystals on her eye lashes. Her lips were pale, fingers white. Kovarian had taunted her, making her too cold to fight or think, but not enough to harm or kill her. Rose had been there for weeks now. She was exhausted, but knew she couldn't sleep, for fear of what might happen if she let herself relax. They'd tried to experiment the last time she slept. She wasn't going to risk it again. She laid down on the floor, her white sweater wrapped around her tightly. Kovarian sneered at the display with distaste.  
Rose Tyler was far stronger than she appeared. Kovarian lowered the temperature further. It was time for Rose to freeze. It wouldn't kill her, it would keep her frozen, asleep for as long as necessary. Rose shivered and tried to stay awake.

This time, the Doctor didn't bother with the element of surprise. He landed and then a veritable flood of people exited the Tardis. Donna and Melody flanked him. The soldiers, obviously surprised by the sudden formation seemed out of sorts and panicked.

"Sir, Demon's Run is a classified space station, you can't be here."

"I'm the Doctor, I go anywhere I want." His voice was icy cold when he spoke.The man paled and then Madame Kovarian spoke.

"Doctor, pleasure to see you again. Can I help you with something?" Her voice was sickly sweet.

"You have someone who belongs to me." Kovarian laughed gleefully.

"If only you knew... Tell me Doctor, how old do you think your Rose is?"

"She's fifteen."

"Not quite. By my estimates she's just over 200, 202 to be exact." The Doctor didn't let it unnerve him. He just blinked as if uncaring. Kovarian stepped forwards grinning maniacally at him. She pointed to the room Amy'd occupied last time. He saw the flash of ginger hair before she slammed into the glass. It held and she slid down partway before being shoved hard against the glass. She was older, but startlingly familiar.

"Rose." He whispered, the shock and pain ripping through him. Between both sides a blonde girl flashed into existence. She had a gun. She shot Kovarian once and the woman fell, injured, but alive.  
"Hi dad." He blinked twice and a slow smile spread across his face. He hugged her briefly.

"Here, take this, go get M-Rose. We'll keep everyone else busy. Oh, you should take Jack with you." They nodded and flashed out of existence. 

Rose's hand was bloody, her lip was split, her jaw bruised. She had at least one cracked rib and it hurt to breathe, even without using her respiratory bypass it hurt. The Doctor and Jack landed outside the sealed door. Both men were more serious than ever. The door was open in an instant. The smell of her blood hit him. And he saw her then, it was cold, far too cold. Frost had gathered in her hair and on her eyelashes. It was freezing in her blood, he was instantly there to help her.

"Rose?" Her eyelashes fluttered and she weakly opened her eyes. Her eyes were a familiar brown.

"Doctor?"

"I'm here, so's Jack. We're taking you home. Alright?" He moved to turn her over, she whimpered in pain. Jack was there, a hand on her back and her ribs. His expression darkened.  
"She's got a cracked rib, it won't puncture anything, but she's In pain Doc. He moved his hand down to her ankle, it rested awkwardly on the floor. She cried out when he touched it." Jack grimaced and stood. The Doctor took her hand and slid an arm beneath her shoulder to help her sit up. Her cry of pain echoed through into the main room. Kovarian's sinister smile widened at the sound and then suddenly she was facing three women. All three smiled condescendingly at her.

"Hello Madame Kovarian, I'm Donna Noble, I'm half Time Lord, the Doctor is my best friend,"

"I'm Melody Pond, Rose's sister,"

"and I'm Jenny, I'm the Doctor and Rose Tyler's daughter."

"There are three furious Time Ladies here Madame and two of them are quite willing to shoot you, the other isn't objecting, you will be punished Madame, right here and right now." When Kovarian fell, her soldiers stopped fighting. Kovarian was bundled up none too gently and knocked unconscious by Rory. Amy stood watch just in case. They looked up in time to see Jack reappear, face grim.  
"Can't use the manipulator, she's already in too much pain." The crowd of soldiers parted to let the Doctor through. He was quick, and they could see she wasn't conscious any longer. She was limp in his arms and blood dripped from her fingertips. There was an expression on his face that none of them had seen before. It melted into one that anyone who'd seen the Doctor with Rose, before, recognized. It was the look he'd always given her when he thought no one was looking. It was the soft eyes, gentle smile and utter love he so obviously felt for the girl in his arms, all easily readable on his face. Jenny took charge, seeing her father wasn't going to. She and Jack directed the clearing of the space station along with everyone else's help.  
Ace was directed to set up explosives with Melody and Amy. Jack, Rory and Mickey took charge of personnel, leaving Vastra, Jenny and Strax to find the other officers and tie them up. Benton and Alistair were helping Jenny to coordinate the clearing of the station. Martha scouted with Donna, making sure that any prisoners were released and that no one was left behind. 

Rose jerked awake with a cry, Donna could hear her telepathically, but couldn't tell where she was. She and Martha kept searching. Rose realized what had woken her. There was a knife in her shoulder. The man wielding it was dead, gold light dusted over his skin. Rose sat up and nearly fell back over. She gritted her teeth and tried pulling the knife out. Bloody hell, the damn knife was notched. She'd do even more damage pulling it out. She had many of the same injuries her duplicate had, but Rose wasn't well already. Her mind reached out and sensing no one nearby, she staggered to her feet and barely made it to the door. She slammed into it, leaving bloody handprints. The gold light shot the lock and the door opened. Rose fell forward and caught herself. She dragged herself up and used the wall to make her way further into the station.

Above them, both Martha and Donna could hear the Doctor.

"ANOTHER FAKE! WHERE IS SHE KOVARIAN!?" Neither knew quite what to make of it. The shrugged and fried another lock, Martha sucked in a sharp breath. Blood spattered everywhere, it was on the floor and walls and there were two dead soldiers, one covered in gold dust. The blood had pooled on a stone table in the middle. The other had been stabbed with a wicked blade. Bloody handprints were on the door across the room and in the hallway. Martha picked a lock of red hair out of the blood.

"Hey Rory, the fakes, do they bleed?" Martha asked over the com.

"Yeah, but their blood is pasty, a lot thicker, like pudding." He sAid, Martha wrinkled her nose in distaste.

"Tell the others, look out for Rose, she escaped. She's hurt pretty bad and she did some damage down here."

"I'll send friendly faces in your direction. People she already knows. Donna, Martha, Mickey, Jack, me, Amy and Melody." The others can finish their tasks and take over ours." 

Rose heard his shout, Audibly and in her head. She cried out in pain, grabbing at her head. She could feel his thundering rage, the words hurt, digging into her skull. Kovarian was hurting him and he was lashing out at anything. She knew he wasn't thinking, wasn't aware that anyone even remotely telepathic would be in pain. 

Jack winced, rubbing his temple, they needed to find Rose and fast, before the Doctor completely lost it and did something he would regret.  
Jack rounded the corner. He stopped dead for a moment. A ginger girl was leaning heavily on the wall, pain suffused her features, her hand was pressed to her temple. Jack approached her worriedly. She reacted violently, terrified of him.

"Rosie stop!" She gasped.

"Jack?" She asked in disbelief. He caught her as she fell forward. She cried out and he saw the knife. 

"Oh god. Alright sweetheart, three, I pull straight out, got it?" She nodded and he did as he'd said. Her scream echoed through the entirety of the ship. She collapsed against Jack. Jack spoke into his earpiece. 

"I got her, everyone back to the Tardis, now." He clutched Rose tightly and used his vortex manipulator. Rose was dressed in a blue dress and a hospital robe. When she and Jack landed it was behind Alistair, Benton and Jenny. The all turned.

"Bloody hell." Alistair said, Vastra and Jenny came around the Tardis and stopped dead, both looking shocked. Kovarian paled, catching sight of Rose. She trailed off and the Doctor's companions began rushing into the room. He turned and forgot about everything and everyone else. Jack was holding a hurt, bloody, weak Rose. Her hair was matted with blood and she looked half unconscious. He moved forward until he was in front of her. She had been asking Jack where he was. She wanted to see him. 

"He's right here sweetheart." Rose's eyes fell on him. She was much shorter than him, but when she lurched forward, reaching for him, his lips still landed in her hair. She clutched him desperately. Afraid he would vanish.

"My Rose." He sighed in relief. She let out a choked sob. He cradled her head against his chest. Her legs threatened to give out. He bent and scooped her into his arms. She snuggled into his chest. He turned back. Amy stood guard over Kovarian again. He carried Rose into the Tardis and to the med lab.


	7. Even Then

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry about the late update. I've had a bit of writers block regarding this story.

He went to set Rose own on the table, but she refused to let go of him. She was too scared, too afraid that if she did, he would vanish. When he tried to pull away, she'd end up in hysterics. After the second time he stopped trying and just pulled her into his lap. Rory and Martha worked around that obstacle, getting her fixed up. She was slowly losing consciousness from blood loss. The Doctor didn't know what kind of blood to give her, worried that it could end up killing her. He hadn't had a lot of time to talk with Melody. He knew they were different, not entirely human and that made trying to help Rose difficult. Melody slipped inside as the Doctor's mind grew increasingly frantic. She put a hand on the Doctor's arm and he started in surprise.  
"Melody, what are you..."  
"Doctor, you're still projecting your thoughts, your worry is driving Donna and Jenny up the wall. Jack isn't helping, he's just as worried."  
"Sorry, I'll close the link off."  
"It's alright, and I have the solution to your blood issue."  
"You do?" He asked, clearly startled. She gave him a small smile.  
"When you have two girls of non-human descent with blood that isn't remotely close to a humans, UNIT likes to stockpile your blood type in case of emergency. UNIT HQ has some blood, I sent Jack to go get it. He'll be back soon." The Doctor pulled Melody into a one armed hug. She sat next to him and took Rose's hand. He hesitated before he finally asked the question that was vital to him.  
"Melody, how did, how did you meet Rose?" Melody sighed tiredly, and chose her words carefully.  
"After what happened in Florida, I went to New York City. While I was hiding, I got sick. The Silence was chasing me still, so I had to run. Whatever I had was killing me, I almost regenerated in an alley. The last thing I remember was beautiful golden light, singing and Rose."  
"I don't..."  
"Let me finish!" She snapped, and he fell silent again. "When I woke up, my fever was gone, I was fine. Rose had me in her arms, carrying me. The Silence was still after us, I could see them and I know she knew they were there. She was running from them, she knew exactly what she was running from, knew without looking at them. She couldn't forget them. We ran for weeks Doctor, weeks. She kept me safe, took care of me, she was the first friend I ever had. I asked her where we were going, she told me. She was taking me back to my parents, but she had to build up enough power. We jumped to my parent's backyard. She used whatever power she had and the energy of the event collapse to rewrite the time line, to stabilize them. The amount of power running through her caused her to change, to regenerate, into a girl my age. She had to hide all her memories, to keep from revealing herself to you. It was Jack that brought her back."  
"Rose, Amy kept saying she was your sister."  
"She was. She was exactly like me, part human, part Time Lord. We could understand each other better than you realize."  
"How is it possible that Rose was able to rewrite the time lines, I've seen you die Melody."  
"I was River then, and isn't it obvious? It wasn't really me. We used a duplicate, much like the Silence does."  
"I..that's brilliant!"  
"Quite."  
"Back to Rose though, how did she even get here?"  
"Crack in Amy's wall Doctor, cracks all over the universe and in every world. She crossed before you sealed them."  
"Did she tell you all this?"  
"Yes. She told me a lot about the other world Doctor, about the other you before she changed. She outlived everyone she cared about. She's just lucky their world's Torchwood isn't anything like ours. She didn't age for a hundred and some years, no one batted an eye, thought twice about it. She spent a long time alone Doctor, a long time without you, nearly as long as you have her. I wondered sometimes if she hid her memories to see if she could live without you, love someone else. She got her answer, and she can't bare to lose you again Doctor. She's terrified you'll leave her again."  
"I'm not. I can't."  
"But she doesn't know that. Her mind is still too panicked. Madame Kovarian and the Silence tortured her into a regeneration Doctor, she can't trust anything yet. Well anyone whose mind she can't read."  
"You mean..."  
"You're going to have to help her, keep your mind open, like Time Lords have always done." Jack arrived with the blood and they got Rose fixed up again." She was still resting in the Doctor's arms, but he wasn't focused on that. Melody had a hold on one of her hands. The two of them were working on calming and untangling the mass of chaos in her mind. It took hours, most everyone had found someplace to crash and were asleep. Slowly her mind was healing. They finished untangling a particularly ugly set of memories and sort in them, when with a rush, everything straightened out around them. Rose was there, redheaded and grinning at them. She bounded forward and hugged them both tightly.


End file.
